ASUS launches tablet and smartphone at MWC

ASUS has announced two new mobile devices at MWC - the 7-inch Fonepad, which combines a tablet with a smartphone, and the PadFone Infinity LTE smartphone, powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor and with a full-size tablet dock.

The ASUS Fonepad (pictured) is a compact tablet with a metallic design that weighs just 340g and has a slim 10.4mm profile. It is powered by the new Intel Atom Z2420 processor, and has hardware-accelerated 1080p Full HD video decoding and up to nine hours of battery life.

It comes with built-in 3G with HSPA+ mobile data, making the FonePad an always-connected mobile device. Fonepad can also be used for voice calls using the built-in noise-cancelling digital microphone or a Bluetooth headset.

The manufacturer said that, with just one mobile data plan to pay for, running costs are also much lower than those of a separate smartphone and 3G tablet.

Fonepad in the UK is available with 16GB capacity, and has an SD card slot for up to 32GB of additional storage. All models feature a front 1.2-megapixel camera for easy video chat and an optional rear 3-megapixel autofocus camera with 720p HD video recording. ASUS SonicMaster audio technology with MaxxAudio 3 processing by Waves ensures clear, well-rounded sound quality.

ASUS PadFone Infinity features a high-performance 13-megapixel camera with an f/2.0 five-element lens that captures detailed images with no shutter lag. A dedicated image signal-processor enhances low-light image quality and enables PadFone Infinity to capture up to 100 sequential photos at 8 frames per second, while simultaneously recording 1080p Full HD video.

Data and settings on PadFone Infinity are available instantly on PadFone Infinity Station upon docking, and running apps are reformatted to fit the larger display. Mobile data bills are also reduced, since a single data plan can be shared between both devices. PadFone Infinity has up to 19 hours of 3G talk time, which increases to up to 40 hours when docked into PadFone Infinity Station.

Mr. Paul Jacobs, Qualcomm Chairman and CEO, said: ‘With something as powerful as our new Snapdragon 600 processor, we want a partner who pushes the boundaries to take advantage of its strengths.

‘ASUS is a leading innovator who revolutionizes the way consumers interact with technology and PadFone Infinity is the perfect device to exploit the new processor’s potential.’

ASUS has also launched its Open Cloud Computing (AOCC) platform at MWC. Supported across a range of smartphones, tablets and PCs, the platform aggregates cloud storage from different providers into a unified virtual service, simplifying sharing photos and other media with multiple devices, and providing online help and troubleshooting tools.

Jonney Shih, ASUS chairman said: ‘At ASUS, we have been incubating this exciting idea for several years. We believe that an open and balanced architecture can provide the best, ultimate solution for the new ubiquitous cloud computing era.’